In response to a recent large increase in cost performance of scanners and printers, image reading/printing apparatuses called multifunction apparatuses which incorporate a scanner and printer and also have a facsimile function are rapidly spreading. Some of the image reading/printing apparatuses can read a transparent original. Such image reading/printing apparatus can read a photographic film exposed by a film camera and can print the read data (see, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H08-331494).
To selectively print out some of a plurality of frame images recorded on, e.g., a photographic film using an image reading/printing apparatus which can read a transparent original, the following procedure is conventionally performed. More specifically, in accordance with an instruction from a host computer connected to the image reading/printing apparatus, film images are read by an image reading apparatus, and images to be printed out are selected from the images displayed on the display device of the host computer. The images are sent together with additional information including the output paper size, number of prints, and the like, and the image reading/printing apparatus is instructed to print out the images.
There is also known an image reading/printing apparatus which can perform the same procedure using not a host computer but an operation unit and display screen of the image reading/printing apparatus (see, e.g., Epson Sales Japan Corporation, “PM-850 Basic Operation Guide”, Nov. 11, 2003 (searched on Dec. 3, 2003 in the Internet, URL:http://www2.i-love-epson.co.jp/support/manual/data/ink/pma850/4046160—00.pdf) and Epson Sales Japan Corporation, “PM-850 Scanner Operation Guide (for Windows)”, Nov. 11, 2003 (searched on Dec. 3, 2003 in the Internet, URL:http://www2.i-love-epson.co.jp/support/manual/data/ink/pma850/NPD0498—00W_Scanner.pdf)).
In a method of using a host computer, it is required that the host computer is ready. Particularly, if the host computer is powered off, a waiting time is necessary to activate and this is annoying. If the host computer is separated from the image reading/printing apparatus (e.g., the host computer is connected to the image reading/printing apparatus through a network), the operator needs to move between them, and this is troublesome.
Such problem is solved by performing processing only by a single apparatus without any host computer. However, generally, a display device on the apparatus main body is small and has low resolution. It is difficult to select a desired image from a plurality of displayed images particularly when similar shots obtained e.g., in anniversary photography are arranged in a row. This problem is partially solved by displaying one image at a time. However, selection cannot be performed while comparing a plurality of images with each other, and operation of switching image display is required. Accordingly, this method is also inconvenient.
Also, it is more difficult to designate additional information including the paper size, number of prints, and the like than a case using a host computer. This problem is partially solved by increasing the screen size of the display device on the image reading/printing apparatus and the keys of the operation unit. However, this increases the size of the apparatus and the cost. In consideration of this, the method is impractical.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H10-224528 (JP-A-H10-224528) discloses an image processing apparatus that reads each frame of a film cartridge and turns the read images to a prescribed size and prints the plural frames on one sheet of recording paper along with a copy number input frame in a printer part. A user writes the printing copy number to the copy number input frame corresponding to the printed respective frames, and when it is mounted on an original platen glass and read, character recognition is performed and the instructed frame is printed for the instructed copy number.